Cooling apparatus of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A cooling apparatus of a vehicle includes a single radiator and an air conditioner condenser. The single radiator is sectioned a cooling portion of an engine cooling system and a cooling portion of a second cooling system which is to be kept at a lower temperature than the engine cooling system. The air conditioner condenser includes a condensing portion and a sub-cool portion. The condensing portion of the air conditioner condenser and the cooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator are offset to each other in a vertical direction such that the condensing portion of the air conditioner condenser and the cooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator are not overlapped when viewed in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus of a vehicle. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a cooling apparatusincluding an engine cooling system and a second cooling system which isto be kept at a temperature lower than that of the engine cooling systemand is improved in a cooling ability thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

A cooling apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes an engine coolingsystem and a hybrid component cooling system (a second cooling system).

In order to keep the temperature of cooling water of the hybridcomponent cooling system equal to or lower than an allowabletemperature, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the cooling system of the hybridvehicle of a first comparison is provided with an engine coolingradiator 31 (a cooling portion of the engine cooling system) and ahybrid component cooling radiator 32 (a cooling portion of the secondcooling system) which are disposed separately from each other. Thehybrid component cooling radiator 32 is disposed in front of an airconditioner condenser 33 and the engine cooling radiator 31 is disposedin the rear of the air conditioner condenser 33.

The reason for this arrangement is as follows:

As will be understood from the following heat balance equation:Q=K_(F)(T_(w)−T_(a))   where, Q: heat amount removed from water to air

KF: heat transmittance constant of the radiator

T_(w): cooling water temperature

T_(a): wind temperature,

there is a relatively large air-water temperature difference of about50° C. (+10° C.-+15° C.) in the engine cooling system, while in thehybrid component cooling system, an air-water temperature difference isrelatively small and insufficient to keep the hybrid component coolingsystem at a temperature lower than the allowable temperature thereof, incase where the radiator of the hybrid component cooling system isdisposed in the rear of the air conditioner condenser, because the windtemperature rises by +10° C.-+15° C. when the wind passes through theair conditioner condenser. To obtain a relatively large air-watertemperature difference at the radiator of the hybrid component coolingsystem, the radiator of the hybrid component cooling system is disposedin front of the air conditioner condenser.

However, the arrangement of FIG. 7 has the following problems:

(a) A number of the radiators is increased to “2”. When counting the airconditioner condenser as a radiator, the number of the radiators is “3”.The increase in the number of the radiators is accompanied by anincrease in cost.

(b) A crushable zone for front collision of a vehicle is decreased bythe space occupied by the radiator of the hybrid component coolingsystem, and a damageability of the vehicle is lowered.

(c) Due to a temperature increase of the wind flowing to the airconditioner condenser, an electric power consumed in driving the airconditioner compressor is increased, and in turn, an actual fuel economyis lowered.

To suppress the above-described problems, another cooling apparatus of asecond comparison illustrated in FIG. 8 can be conceived. In theapparatus, the radiator 32 of the hybrid component cooling system isshifted to the rear of the air conditioner condenser 33 such that theshifted radiator 32 and the air conditioner condenser 33 are overlappedwhen viewed in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and theradiator 32 of the hybrid component cooling system and the radiator 31of the engine cooling system are integrated into a single compositeradiator 34 where the radiators 31 and 32 are partitioned from eachother. The composite radiator is a multi-function cooling module havingan engine cooling function and a hybrid component cooling function.

However, the radiator of FIG. 8 still has the following problem: Sincethe radiator 32 of the hybrid component cooling system (the secondcooling system) is disposed in the rear of air conditioner condenser 33,a temperature of the wind having passed through the air conditionercondenser 33 rises by +10° C.-+20° C. As a result, it is difficult toobtain a relatively large air-water temperature difference sufficient tokeep the temperature of the cooling water of the second cooling systemat a temperature lower than the allowable temperature. This isaccompanied. by a decrease in the cooling ability of the second coolingsystem or, if the cooling ability is maintained, an increase in a sizeof the radiator 12 of the second cooling system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling apparatus ofa vehicle which is provided with a multi-function cooling moduleincluding (a) a single composite radiator having a cooling portion of anengine cooling system and a cooling portion of a second cooling systemand (b) an air conditioner condenser, wherein a cooling ability of thesecond cooling system is improved, compared with the above-describedapparatus of the second comparison.

[Structure Generic]

(1) A cooling apparatus of a vehicle according to the present inventionto perform the above-described object includes a single (composite)radiator and an air conditioner condenser.

The single radiator is partitioned into a plurality of regions includinga first portion of the plurality of regions defining a cooling portionof an engine cooling system and a second, remaining portion of theplurality of regions defining a cooling portion of a second coolingsystem which is to be kept at a lower temperature than the enginecooling system.

The air conditioner condenser includes a (vapor) condensing portion. Theair conditioner condenser is positioned in front of the single radiatorin a longitudinal direction of a vehicle.

In the cooling apparatus, the condensing portion of the air conditionercondenser and the cooling portion of the second cooling system of thesingle radiator are offset from each other in a direction perpendicularto a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle such that the condensingportion of the air conditioner condenser and the cooling portion of thesecond cooling system of the single radiator are not overlapped whenviewed in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

(2) Preferably, the second cooling system is a cooling system of ahybrid system of a hybrid vehicle.

(3) Preferably, the cooling portion of the engine cooling system and thecooling portion of the second cooling system, of the single radiator arepartitioned from each other in a vertical direction and the coolingportion of the second cooling system is positioned below the coolingportion of the engine cooling system.

(4) Preferably, the single radiator includes right and left tanksextending in a vertical direction, a plurality of radiator tubesextending in a horizontal direction between the right and left tanks,and a partition provided within each of the right and left tanks andpartitioning an interior of each of the right and left tanks into upperand lower portions. Engine cooling water is adapted to flow in the upperportion and cooling water of the second cooling system is adapted toflow in the lower portion.

[Structure Unique to a First Embodiment of the Present Invention]

(5) The air conditioner condenser includes the condensing portion and asub-cool portion. The cooling portion of the second cooling system ofthe single radiator is positioned in the rear of the sub-cool portion ofthe air conditioner condenser in the front-to-rear direction of thevehicle.

(6) Preferably, a duct is provided extending between an upper end of thesub-cool portion of the air conditioner condenser and an upper end ofthe cooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator.

(7) Preferably, the air conditioner condenser is provided with a ductextending forward from the air conditioner condenser, for preventing awarmed wind having passed through the single radiator from circulatinginto the condenser.

[Structure Unique to a Second Embodiment of the Present Invention]

(8) The air conditioner condenser and the cooling portion of the secondcooling system of the single radiator are offset from each other in adirection perpendicular to a front-to-rear direction of a vehicle suchthat the air conditioner condenser is not positioned in front of thecooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator inthe front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

(9) Preferably, a lower end of the air conditioner condenser ispositioned at the same level as or above an upper end of the coolingportion of the second cooling system of the single radiator.

[Technical Advantages of the Present Invention]

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (1), since thecondensing portion of the air conditioner condenser and the coolingportion of the second cooling system of the single radiator are offsetfrom each other such that the condensing portion of the air conditionercondenser and the cooling portion of the second cooling system of thesingle radiator are not overlapped when viewed in a front-to-reardirection of the vehicle, the wind having passed through the condensingportion of the air conditioner condenser and having risen in temperatureis unlikely to flow through the cooling portion of the second coolingsystem of the single radiator. As a result, the cooling ability of thesecond cooling system is improved.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (2), since thesecond cooling system is a cooling system of a hybrid system of a hybridvehicle, the second cooling system can satisfy the requirement of thehybrid system where a temperature of the cooling water of the hybridsystem is required to be kept lower than an allowable temperature of thecooling water of the hybrid system.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (3), since thecooling portion of the engine cooling system and the cooling portion ofthe second cooling system of the single radiator are partitioned fromeach other in a vertical direction and the cooling portion of the secondcooling system is positioned below the cooling portion of the enginecooling system, partitioning of the cooling portion of the enginecooling system and the cooling portion of the second cooling system inthe single radiator can be easily made correspondent with partitioningof the condensing portion and the sub-cool portion of the airconditioning condenser which are also sectioned to each other in thevertical direction.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (4), since thesingle radiator includes right and left tanks extending in a verticaldirection, a plurality of radiator tubes extending in a horizontaldirection between the right and left tanks, and a partition providedwithin each of said right and left tanks and partitioning an interior ofeach of the right and left tanks into upper and lower portions, thecooling portion of the engine cooling system and the cooling portion ofthe second cooling system can be easily partitioned from each other inthe vertical direction in the single radiator.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (5), since thecooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator ispositioned in the rear of the sub-cool portion of the air conditionercondenser, the temperature of the wind having passed through thesub-cool portion of the air conditioner condenser is lower than that ofthe wind passing through the condensing portion of the air conditionercondenser by about 5° C.-10° C. so that a relatively large air-watertemperature difference can be obtained at the cooling portion of thesecond cooling system. As a result, the cooling ability of the secondcooling system is improved.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (6), since a ductis provided extending between an upper end of the sub-cool portion ofthe air conditioner condenser and an upper end of the cooling portion ofthe second cooling system of the single radiator, the wind having passedthrough the condensing portion of the air conditioner condenser andhaving risen in temperature is surely prevented from flowing to thecooling portion of the second cooling system of the single radiator, sothat the cooling ability of the second cooling system is improved.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (7), since theair conditioner condenser is provided with a duct extending forward fromthe air conditioner condenser, the wind having passed through the secondcooling portion and having risen in temperature is surely prevented fromcirculating into the air conditioner condenser.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (8), since theair conditioner condenser and the cooling portion of the second coolingsystem of the single radiator are offset from each other, a wind havingnot passed through the air conditioner condenser and having not risen intemperature flows to the cooling portion of the second cooling system sothat an air-water temperature difference at the cooling portion of thesecond cooling system is relatively large (larger than that of thecooling apparatus of FIG. 8). As a result, the cooling ability of thesecond cooling system is improved.

According to the apparatus of the above-described item (9), since alower end of the air conditioner condenser is positioned at the samelevel as or above an upper end of the cooling portion of the secondcooling system of the single radiator, a wind can flow directly to thecooling portion of the second cooling system without passing through theair conditioner condenser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T HE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent and will be more readily appreciatedfrom the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments ofthe present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cooling apparatus of a vehicleaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a back elevational view of the cooling apparatus according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the cooling apparatus according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a temperature of a wind after passing througha condensing portion of an air conditioner condenser and a temperatureof a wind after passing through a sub-cool portion of the airconditioner condenser;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an engine cooling system and a hybridcomponent cooling system of a hybrid vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a cooling apparatus of a vehicleaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a cooling apparatus of a vehicleaccording to a first comparison (neither included in the presentinvention nor in prior art); and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a cooling apparatus of a vehicleaccording to a second comparison (neither included in the presentinvention nor in prior art).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a cooling apparatus according to the presentinvention. FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a cooling apparatus generic to thepresent invention and also illustrate a cooling apparatus according to afirst embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 illustrates acooling apparatus according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

Portions common or similar to the first and second embodiments of thepresent invention are denoted with the same reference numeralsthroughout the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

First, portions common or similar to the first and second embodiments ofthe present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1-5.

A cooling apparatus 1 of a vehicle according to the present invention isa multi-function cooling module. The cooling module includes a singlecomposite radiator (hereinafter, a single radiator) 2 and an airconditioner condenser 5.

The single radiator 2 includes a cooling portion 3 of an engine coolingsystem (a first cooling system) 11 and a cooling portion 4 of a secondcooling system 18 which is to be kept at a temperature lower than atemperature of the engine cooling system 11. The single radiator 2includes a core portion (where radiator tubes are disposed) and issectioned, in a plane perpendicular to a front-to-rear direction of avehicle, into a plurality of regions including a first portion of theplurality of regions defining a cooling portion 3 of an engine coolingsystem 11 and a second, remaining portion of the plurality of regionsdefining a cooling portion 4 of a second cooling system 18 which is tobe kept at a lower temperature than the engine cooling system. In spiteof a single radiator, the radiator 2 is a multi-function radiator sinceit cools both an engine and hybrid components of the second coolingsystem 11.

The air conditioner condenser 5 includes a (vapor) condensing portion.The air conditioner condenser is positioned in front of the singleradiator 2 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The airconditioner condenser 5 may contact the single radiator 2 at the coreportion of the single radiator 2 or may be spaced from the singleradiator 2.

No radiator is disposed in front of the air conditioner condenser 5. Thecooling portion of the second cooling system, which is disposed in frontof the air conditioner condenser in the cooling apparatus of the firstcomparison illustrated in FIG. 7, is shifted to the rear of the airconditioner condenser 5 in the present invention and is integrated withthe cooling portion of the engine cooling system into a single(composite) radiator 2.

An electric fan 8 is disposed in the rear of the single radiator 2. Thefan 8 sucks a cooling wind (a vehicle running wind) and discharges thewind rearwards. In FIG. 2, two fans 8 are provided and are fit to twofan-mounting apertures of the casing of the radiator 2.

The air conditioner condenser 5 includes a vapor condensing portion(hereinafter, a condensing portion) 6 and a sub-cool portion 7. Thecondensing portion 6 changes refrigerant gas to refrigerant liquid.After flowing out from the condensing portion 6, refrigerant gas andliquid are separated at a gas-liquid separator 22. The sub-cool portion7 further cools the refrigerant liquid and sends the cooled refrigerantliquid to an air conditioner evaporator. In the sub-cool-type condenser,by further cooling the refrigerant liquid by the sub-cool portion 7,energy (enthalpy) of the refrigerant liquid itself is increased toimprove a cooling efficiency of the cooling apparatus.

The air conditioner condenser 5 is partitioned into a region definingthe condensing portion 5 and a region defining the sub-cool portion 7 inthe vertical direction of the air conditioner condenser 5. The sub-coolportion 7 where the refrigerant liquid flows is positioned below thecondensing portion 6 where the refrigerant gas and liquid flow.

The air conditioner condenser 5 includes a plurality of radiator tubesSa which extend in a horizontal direction and in a right-and-leftdirection of the vehicle. In the condensing portion 6 and the sub-coolportion 7, the refrigerant gas and/or liquid flow in the right-and-leftdirection of the vehicle.

Engine cooling water flows in the engine cooling system 11, and coolingwater flows in the second cooling system 18. An allowable temperature ofthe cooling water of the second cooling system 18 is lower than anallowable temperature of the cooling water of the engine cooling system11.

The second cooling system 18 may be a hybrid component cooling system ofa hybrid vehicle. However, the second cooling system 18 is not limitedto the hybrid component cooling system of a hybrid vehicle. For example,the second cooling system 18 may be a cooling system of electroniccomponents of a vehicle of a hybrid or non-hybrid vehicle.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cooling system of the hybrid vehicle which includesthe first, engine cooling system 11 and the second, hybrid componentcooling system 18.

The engine cooling system 11 includes a water jacket formed in acylinder block 12, a water jacket formed in a cylinder head 13, acooling water passage 14 extending between the cooling portion 3 of theradiator 2 and an engine, a bypass passage 15 bypassing the coolingportion 3, a water pump 16 disposed at a cooling water inlet of theengine, and a thermostat 17 changing a ratio of water flow amountsflowing through the passages 14 and 15. The second cooling system 18includes a water pump 19 and an inverter 20 with a converter, and afront motor generator 21.

In the cooling apparatus, the positional relationship of the coolingportion 4 of the second cooling system 18 and the air conditionercondenser 5 is determined such that the cooling wind having passedthrough the condensing portion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5 doesnot flow to the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18. Moreparticularly, in the cooling apparatus, the condensing portion 6 of theair conditioner condenser 5 and the cooling portion 4 of the secondcooling system 18 of the single radiator 2 are offset from each other ina direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the vehiclesuch that the condensing portion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5and the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 of the singleradiator 2 are not overlapped when viewed in the front-to-rear directionof the vehicle.

This is because since the wind having passed through the condensingportion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5 rises in temperature (forexample, rises by +10° C.-+15° C.), if the wind having risen intemperature contacts the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system18, a sufficient air-water temperature difference is not obtained at thecooling portion 4, the allowable temperature of which is relatively low.So, the wind having risen in temperature is prevented from flowing tothe cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 by taking theabove-described arrangement.

In contrast, since the allowable temperature of the cooling water of theengine cooling system is high, even if the cooling wind having passedthrough the cooling portion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5contacts the cooling portion 3 of the engine cooling system 11, asufficient air-water temperature difference is obtained. So, the coolingwind having passed through the cooling portion 6 of the air conditionercondenser 5 is allowed to contact the cooling portion 3 of the enginecooling system 11.

Since the temperature of the cooling wind having passed through thesub-cool portion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5 is lower than thetemperature of the cooling wind having passed through the condensingportion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5 by 5° C.-10° C., asillustrated in FIG. 4, a relatively large temperature difference can beobtained at the radiator. So, the cooling wind having passed through thesub-cool portion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5 is caused tocontact the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18.

To easily achieve the above-described conditions, in the single radiator2, the cooling portion 3 of the engine cooling system 11 and the coolingportion 4 of the second cooling system 18, of the single radiator 2 arepartitioned from each other in a vertical direction. This is because theregions of the cooling portions 3 and 4 in the single radiator 2 caneasily correspond to the regions of the condensing portion 6 and thesub-cool portion 7 in the air conditioner condenser 5, when viewed fromthe front side in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

The cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 is positionedbelow the cooling portion 3 of the engine cooling system 11. This isbecause the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 can easilycorrespond to a rear position of the sub-cool portion 7 of the airconditioner condenser 5, when viewed along a flow of the cooling wind.

To make it possible to partition the single radiator 2 into an upperregion corresponding to the cooling portion 3 and a lower regioncorresponding to the cooling portion 4 in the vertical direction, thesingle radiator 2 includes right and left tanks each extending in thevertical direction and each having an upper portion 2 a and a lowerportion 2 b, a plurality of radiator tubes 2 c extending in a horizontaldirection between the right and left tanks. A partition 2 d is providedwithin each of the right and left tanks, and the partition 2 dpartitions an interior of each of the right and left tanks into theupper and lower portions 2 a and 2 b. Cooling water of the enginecooling system 11 is adapted to flow in the upper portion 2 a andcooling water of the second cooling system 18 is adapted to flow in thelower portion 2 b. The cooling water flows in the radiator tubes 2 c ina horizontal direction.

In the structure common or similar to any embodiment of the presentinvention, the following technical advantages are obtained:

Since the positional relationship of the cooling portion 4 of the secondcooling system 18 and the air conditioner condenser 5 is determined suchthat the cooling wind having passed through the condensing portion 6 ofthe air conditioner condenser 5 does not contact the cooling portion 4of the second cooling system 18, more particularly, since the condensingportion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5 and the cooling portion 4of the second cooling system 18 of the single radiator 2 are offset fromeach other in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear directionof the vehicle such that the cooling portion 4 of the second coolingsystem 18 of the single radiator 2 is not positioned in the rear of thecondensing portion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5, the air-watertemperature difference at the cooling portion 4 of the second coolingsystem 18 is larger than the air-water temperature difference at thecooling portion of the second cooling system of the cooling apparatus ofthe second comparison (FIG. 8). As a result, the cooling ability of thesecond cooling system 18 is improved.

Further, according to the present invention, the problems existing inthe cooling apparatus of the first comparison (FIG. 7) due to thearrangement that the cooling portion of the second cooling system beingdisposed in front of the air conditioner condenser can be solved.

More particularly, since the cooling portion 4 of the second coolingsystem 18 is shifted to the rear of air conditioner condenser 5 and isintegrated with (but, partitioned from) the cooling portion 3 of theengine cooling system 11 in the single radiator 2, the number of theradiators is reduced to “2”, when the air conditioner condenser iscounted as one radiator, and cost is also decreased.

Further, the crushable zone of the vehicle is increased. As a result,safety for front collision of a vehicle is improved.

Furthermore, if the cooling portion of the second cooling system isdisposed in front of the air conditioner condenser like in the firstcomparison (FIG. 7), the temperature of the wind flowing to the airconditioner condenser rises, which in turn increases the electric powerconsumed in operating the air conditioner compressor and lowers the fueleconomy.

However, in the present invention, since the cooling portion 4 of thesecond cooling system 18 is not disposed in front of the air conditionercondenser 5, that lowering of the fuel economy does not occur

Next, portions unique to each embodiment of the present invention willbe explained.

[First Embodiment of the Present Invention]

In a cooling apparatus according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the air conditioner condenser 5and the single radiator 2 are adapted to be overlapped at all regions ofthe single radiator 2 when viewed in the front to rear direction.Further, a substantially whole region of the cooling portion 4 of thesecond cooling system 18 is positioned in the rear of the sub-coolportion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5, and the cooling portion 3of the engine cooling system 11 is positioned in the rear of thecondensing portion 6 of the air conditioner condenser 5.

The air conditioner condenser 5 and the single radiator 2 may contacteach other at the core portion of the single radiator 2 in thefront-to-rear direction of the vehicle, or may be spaced from each otherin the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. In a case where the airconditioner condenser 5 and the single radiator 2 are spaced from eachother in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, as illustrated inFIG. 1, preferably, a duct 9 may be provided extending between an upperend of the sub-cool portion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5 and anupper end of the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 ofthe single radiator 2. The duct 9 operates to cause only the wind havingpassed through the sub-cool portion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5to flow to the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18.

Further, irrespective of contact the air conditioner condenser 5 withthe single radiator 2, the air conditioner condenser 5 is provided witha duct 10 extending forward from the air conditioner condenser 5, forpreventing a warmed wind having passed through the single radiator 2from circulating into the air conditioner condenser 5.

With respect to technical advantages of the cooling apparatus accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention, since the coolingportion 4 of the second cooling system 18 is disposed in the rear of thesub-cool portion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5, the cooling windhaving passed through the sub-cool portion 7 of the air conditionercondenser 5 flows to the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system18. Since the temperature of the wind having passed through the sub-coolportion 7 of the air conditioner condenser 5 is lower than thetemperature of the wind having passed through the condensing portion 6of the air conditioner condenser 5 by about 5° C.-10° C., a relativelylarge air-water temperature difference (larger than that of coolingapparatus of FIG. 8) can be obtained at the cooling portion 4 of thesecond cooling system 18, so that the cooling ability of the secondcooling system 18 is improved. [Second Embodiment of the PresentInvention]

In a cooling apparatus according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the air conditioner condenser 5 isadapted to be overlapped with substantially only the cooling portion 3of the engine cooling system 11 of the single radiator 2 when viewedfrom the front side in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. Inthe side-elevational view of the vehicle, as illustrated in FIG. 6, theair conditioner condenser 5 and the cooling portion 4 of the secondcooling system 18 of the single radiator 2 are offset from each other ina direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of a vehicle,more particularly, in an up-and-down direction, such that a lower end ofthe air conditioner condenser 5 is positioned at the same level as orabove an upper end of the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system18 and, as a result, the air conditioner condenser 5 including thesub-cool portion 7 is not positioned in front of the cooling portion 4of the second cooling system 18 of the single radiator 2. Due to thisarrangement, the cooling wind flows directly to the cooling portion 4 ofthe second cooling system 18 without passing through the air conditionercondenser 5.

With respect to technical advantages of the cooling apparatus accordingto the second embodiment of the present invention, since the airconditioner condenser 5 and the cooling portion 4 of the second coolingsystem 18 of the single radiator 2 are offset from each other in anup-and-down direction, a wind having not passed through the airconditioner condenser 5 and therefore having not risen in temperatureflows to the cooling portion 4 of the second cooling system 18 so thatan air-water temperature difference at the cooling portion 4 of thesecond cooling system 18 is relatively large (larger than that of thecooling apparatus of FIG. 8). As a result, the cooling ability of thesecond cooling system 18 is improved.

More particularly, since a lower end of the air conditioner condenser 5is positioned at the same level as or above an upper end of the coolingportion 4 of the second cooling system 18 of the single radiator 2, thecooling wind can flow directly to the cooling portion 4 of the secondcooling system 18 without passing through the air conditioner condenser5, so that the cooling ability of the second cooling system 18 isimproved.

Although the present invention has been described above with referenceto specific exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that various modifications and alterations can bemade to the particular embodiments shown without materially departingfrom the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention.Accordingly, it is to be understood that all such modifications andalterations are included within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as defined by the following claims.

1. A cooling apparatus of a vehicle comprising: a single radiatorpartitioned into a plurality of regions including a first portion ofsaid plurality of regions defining a cooling portion of an enginecooling system and a second portion of said plurality of regionsdefining a cooling portion of a second cooling system which is to bekept at a lower temperature than said engine cooling system; and an airconditioner condenser including a condensing portion, said airconditioner condenser being positioned in front of said single radiatorin a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein said condensingportion of said air conditioner condenser and said cooling portion ofsaid second cooling system of said single radiator are offset from eachother in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of thevehicle such that said condensing portion of said air conditionercondenser and said cooling portion of said second cooling system of saidsingle radiator are not overlapped when viewed in the front-to-reardirection of the vehicle, and wherein said air conditioner condenser andsaid cooling portion of said second cooling system of said singleradiator are offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to thefront-to-rear direction of the vehicle such that said air conditionercondenser is not positioned in front of said cooling portion of saidsecond cooling system of said single radiator in the front-to-reardirection of the vehicle.
 2. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1,wherein a lower end of said air conditioner condenser is positioned at asame level as or above an upper end of said cooling portion of saidsecond cooling system of said single radiator.